Chosen Chapter 10: Raiders of the Lost Valley
by Dozo14
Summary: When Arthur does not return from his expedition as planned, Violet and Billie set out to find him and team up with a young explorer. Meanwhile, Duncan enlists the help of Leo to clear the twins' criminal record before the Tribunal.
1. Chapter 1

Chosen Chapter 10: Raiders of the Lost Valley

Xxx

At some point late in the evening, a red sports car drove up the driveway of a large mansion and parked in front of the door. A tall young man, somewhere in his twenties with brown hair, got out and headed inside through the imposing wooden doors. He followed a long hallway filled with expensive paintings and sculptures until he reached a door. He stopped and waited a second before knocking. When the person inside called him in, he opened the door and stepped into a large office. A man in his forties was sitting by the fireplace, his back turned to the younger man. The young man nervously started pacing.

"Just tell me." The man remarked impatiently as he picked up a glass of wine.

"I'm sorry." The younger man said. "I lost sight of the expedition. I think they entered the valley and now I can't find them anywhere."

"You think they entered the valley, or you know they entered the valley?" the older man asked in a calm but impatient tone.

"I… I know." The younger man replied hesitantly. "Otherwise, I would have been able to locate them. My sensory powers don't work there for some reason."

"It's a mythical valley holding ancient magic." The other man stated. "Of course your sensors won't work there. The valley has been guarded in secret for centuries."

"What do you want me to do?" the younger man asked.

"I wanted you to tail the expedition." The older man said. "However, it seems that even that task was a little too difficult for you."

"It wasn't my fault… sir." The younger man argued as he looked down. "One minute they were there, the next they were gone. They vanished."

"And you were unable to find the entrance on your own?" the older man asked.

"I searched for hours." The younger man said. "Eventually, I decided it was better to report back before I wasted more time."

"You made the right call, you won't be able to find it on your own." The older man stated.

"So what now?" the younger man asked.

The older man stared in the fireplace as he took another sip of his wine. "The expedition has passed it deadline already. It will soon become clear that something went wrong. They will send a search party to find them."

"But who will be able to find them?" The younger man asked confused.

"I think a certain psychic witch will be able to lead you there." The older man replied. "After all, she will undoubtedly attempt to find her lost boyfriend."

"You mean one of the Chosen?" the younger man asked shocked. "Are you sure that's wise?"

"We will cross paths with them sooner or later." The older man said. "If you had done your job, we wouldn't have needed them now."

"I'm sorry." The younger man replied as he bowed his head in shame.

"Never apologize for mistakes." The older man replied harshly. "Just fix them instead."

"Of course." The younger man said. "I will get on it right away."

The younger man wanted to head out, though before he could reach the door, the statue standing next to it suddenly came to life and blocked his path. The young man stepped back and nervously turned around. The other man walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He had dark hair and a charismatic smile, though his green eyes revealed he was not pleased.

"I do not need to remind you how important this is, do I?" The older man asked in a calm but determined tone. "We need what's in that valley to begin our plans. Do not disappoint me again."

"I won't, trust me." The younger man replied confidently. "You know you can count on me."

"Of course." The older man said with a smile. "That's why you're here in the first place. Who else could I trust?"

The older man padded the younger man on the shoulder and returned to his chair. With a wave of his hand, the statue returned to its original position. The younger man excused himself and quickly left the office. As he walked back to the front door, his confident demeanor changed to a frustrated one. He assured himself he was not going to fail again. He needed to prove himself. As he got in his car, he drove off with screeching tires.

Xxx

The following morning, Billie Jenkins walked through the empty living room of a charming house not far from the college campus. It was a two-story house with an amazing porch. It even had an actual garden. The inside of the house was a little dated, but still beautiful with dark wooden floors and many wooden elements. It was the perfect place for a fresh start. Her new roommate was becoming unbearable, though that was hardly the only reason she needed something new.

As Billie looked at the large stone fireplace, Violet came walking in along with the realtor, a balding man in his late thirties dressed in an ugly brown suit.

"Well, as you can see the living room is quite spacious and has lots of natural lighting." The realtor said. "It connects to the hall and to the dining room in the back."

"How were the bedrooms?" Billie asked.

"As I just told your friend, the house has three bedrooms roughly equal in size." The realtor replied. "The master bedroom has its own ensuite while the other two share a bathroom."

"Sounds perfect." Billie said.

"It sure does." The realtor said. "I need to make a phone call, so I will leave the two of you to check it out on your own."

The realtor left the room and Billie heard him step outside. She turned to Violet and could barely contain her excitement. This place was perfect, just like she had always dreamed her house would be. Violet, on the other hand, seemed less thrilled and a little distracted.

"What's wrong?" Billie asked.

"Come on, Billie." Violet replied with a frown. "Think, do you really think we can afford the rent on this place? This is a family home."

"We'll work something out." Billie replied.

"I doubt it." Violet said. "I don't get why you even wanted to come here. You know it's far outside of our price range."

"Yeah, but have you looked around?" Billie called out. "It is so beautiful. I saw the pictures on the website and something just drew me in. It's like this place was calling out to me."

"I don't know." Violet replied hesitantly.

"I know what will cheer you up." Billie quickly said. "Follow me."

Billie grabbed Violet by the arm and dragged her from the living room to a smaller room across the hall. It was obviously designed to be a study or office, though Billie had other plans for it.

"I think this would make a perfect magic room." Billie told her friend. "We can keep all our magical stuff here, like potions and scrying crystals. Of course we would have to lock the door when we have guests, but I think it could work. What do you think?"

"Look, Billie." Violet replied with a sigh. "I get that you love it and I think it's great too, but we have to be realistic. There is no way the two of us can afford this."

"Well, then why don't we just ask Duncan to move in?" Billie suggested with a shrug. "We have three rooms and I know he hates living in the dorms as well. And he does have that trust fund..."

"You want to ask Duncan just so he can help pay rent?" Violet asked with a frown. "Isn't that a little unfair to him?"

"No, that's not what I meant." Billie quickly replied. "Duncan is our friend and part of the Chosen. It would be good to all be under the same roof. Or… do you not want to live with Duncan? Do you still have feelings for him?"

"Of course not." Violet replied annoyed. "I'm over him, it was just a stupid crush. I'm happy with Arthur, if he ever decides to come back at least."

"Haven't you heard from him?" Billie asked.

"His last letter came a few days ago." Violet replied. "He said they had been delayed and had almost found this mysterious valley they were searching for."

"Are you worried?" Billie asked.

"I don't know. I have been a little distracted lately." Violet reasoned. "I know everything is probably fine, but I keep having this bad feeling. Like my subconscious is trying to tell me something."

"Well, maybe you should listen to it." Billie said. "Witches are known to have a strong sense of intuition, and you're psychic to boot."

"But what can I do?" Violet asked.

"You could try asking Leo." Billie suggested. "The expedition was organized by an anthropology professor with connections to Magic School. I'm sure Leo knows more."

"Good point." Violet replied. "I think I'll do that."

"So what are we going to do about the house?" Billie asked. "Just be honest, I know you love it."

"Alright fine." Violet admitted with a smile. "I do love it. And I would love to live here with you and Duncan. But we're not going to force him into anything. He has to want it."

"I promise, you will not regret this." Billie said excited as she hugged her friend. "I'll go talk to Duncan and you go find out more about that cute boyfriend of yours."

"Okay." Violet replied.

Violet left and Billie returned to the living room to take one last look around. She didn't know exactly what drew her to this place, but she knew she wanted it. Perhaps she just wanted something knew after everything that had happened lately. She really wanted to live here with Violet and Duncan, since they were like her family now. Being able to afford the rent with the three of them was just an added bonus. Now all that was left to do was to convince Duncan.

Xxx

Across town, in a somewhat rundown alley behind the motel, Duncan was thrown across the alley and crashed into a dumpster. A little dazed after hitting his head, he looked up and saw a large Brute Demon charging at him. One moment he was walking to the mortal with groceries, the next he was being attacked for no reason. Before the brute could land a punch, Duncan was pulled away in a blur of super speed and found himself standing next to the twins.

"Thanks." Duncan said. "Nice timing."

"No problem." Nathan replied. "We noticed big ugly over here lurking around, though you showed up before we could take him down."

"Let's talk later." Duncan interrupted him when he saw the brute turning toward them.

"I got this." Nick said confidently. "He might be bigger, but he's not stronger than me."

The Brute Demon screamed angrily as he charged at them again. Nick smirked and ran to confront him. When the brute tried to strike him, Nick blocked his punch with his hand, sending a small shockwave through the alley due to the impact.

"Think you can take me, little twink?" The Brute snarled at him.

"What the hell did you just call me?" Nick asked. "I think you got me confused for my brother."

"You really think you're as powerful as me?" The Brute asked. "You're out of your league."

The Brute Demon laughed as he raised his arm and lifted Nick off the ground with little effort. Panic flashed on the twin's face when he realized his mistake. The demon smirked as he punched him in the gut, sending him flying backwards. Nick crashed to the ground and rolled down the alley until he came to a halt right in front of the others.

"A little help here?" Nick remarked as he painfully crawled up.

Duncan nodded and threw a Bursting Ball at the brute, who caught it and crushed it with his bare hand without even flinching.

"He is stronger than most brutes." Duncan stated.

"You don't say." Nick replied annoyed.

"Allow me." Nathan said.

Nathan picked up a piece of metal from a dumpster and charged at the demon with superhuman speed. He circled around the demon and managed to plant the metal bar in his side. The demon cried out in pain and ripped it out. He flung his arms around and managed to hit Nathan before he could get away. He then grabbed him and lifted him up by the throat.

"People will pay a lot of money for you thieves." The brute said. "But I'll keep the pleasure of ripping your heads off all to myself."

Seeing how Nathan was about to be crushed, Duncan panicked and astral projected. His astral form appeared behind the Brute Demon and conjured a Bursting Ball. He looked at the gaping wound in the demon's side and threw the metal sphere at it. When it combusted, the demon screamed out in pain and was engulfed in flames. When he turned to ashes, Nathan fell down coughing. Duncan smiled relieved and returned to his body while Nick helped his brother up.

"Are you okay?" Nick asked concerned.

"I'm fine, you?" Nathan replied.

"Just a few scratches." Nick replied.

"So is this the part where you tell me why a Brute Demon just assaulted me in the middle of the street?" Duncan asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We… uh, sort of robbed him at a demonic market some time ago." Nathan admitted reluctantly.

"Of course." Duncan replied while rolling his eyes.

"Just because we stopped being criminals now, doesn't mean our past is erased." Nathan said. "There are still people out there who want our heads on a platter."

"I'd say a lot of people." Nick added. "We pissed off pretty much everyone at one point or another."

"Just my luck, falling for a petty criminal." Duncan remarked.

"You can still get out." Nathan replied.

"Are you kidding me? After all this trouble?" Duncan asked. "Look, I said I wanted to help and I'm not going to give up because of one demonic attack. Now we should get out of here, the motel is no longer safe."

As they started walking back to the street, a black SUV suddenly pulled up at the end of the alley. Duncan instantly realized demons were not the only ones who had unfinished business with the twins. The government was still after them as well.

"Crap, you should run." Duncan quickly said. "Meet me outside of P3."

Nathan nodded and placed a hand on his brother's shoulder before disappearing in a blur of speed. Duncan took a deep breath and headed toward the SUV. He saw a familiar agent stepping out and knew it meant trouble.

"Duncan." Agent Murphy said. "I wish I could say it was good to see you again."

"I feel the same." Duncan replied. "Can I help you with something?"

"Drop the act, I know the twins are back." Murphy said. "They're not going to get away again. And if you help them, you will be going down with them."

"Sorry." Duncan lied. "But I have no idea what you're talking about."

Duncan reached into his pocket and dropped a potion bottle at his feet. As smoke began to rise up and engulf him, he disappeared from the alley.

xxx


	2. Chapter 2

Chosen Chapter 10: Raiders of the Lost Valley

Part 2

Xxx

A swirling portal appeared on the wall of a large hallway. Violet screamed as she was thrown from the portal and fell on the marble floor. As she crawled up and rubbed her sore knees, she silently cursed Magic School for not having a normal entrance. The portal behind her closed and she started walking down the hall. Although Arthur had written to her were some delays, she could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. Billie was right, she needed to trust her intuition. Hopefully Leo could provide some answers.

When Violet entered the grand hall, she saw a strawberry blonde woman in a black robe instructing some students as they were placing books in a large bookcase.

"Careful!" The woman screeched as one of the students nearly dropped a book. "These books are ancient and priceless. They cannot be replaced."

"Excuse me." Violet said.

The woman turned around and looked at her through her dark rimmed glasses. "You're not a student, can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Leo." Violet said.

"Headmaster Wyatt, you mean." The woman corrected her. "Do you have an appointment?"

"No." Violet replied.

"The headmaster is a very busy man." The woman said. "I think it would be best if you make an appointment."

"I'm sorry, but it is a little urgent." Violet replied. "Are you his secretary? I really need to see him."

"I am the Literature professor." The woman called out insulted. "Miss Donovan."

"I'm sorry." Violet quickly said.

At that moment, one of the side doors flew open and headmaster Leo came walking in with a class of pre-teen students. Much like the other professor, he was dressed in a black robe. He did not seem to notice Violet, as he was too busy talking to his students.

"So in order to reclaim the school for the side of good, the Charmed Ones performed a powerful spell to vanquish all evil within these walls." Leo explained. "However, even more important was the struggle between Billie and her sister, who had returned in astral form."

"What happened?" A young girl asked curiously.

"Well… I think that is a story for our next lesson." Leo replied when he noticed Violet. "Now hurry to your next class, you don't want to miss conjuration, do you?"

The children smiled and quickly ran off to their class. When Leo joined Violet and Miss Donovan, the literature professor nodded her head and resumed her work with the books. Leo waved his hand, inviting Violet to walk with him. They walked back into the endless hallway.

"Miss Morgan." Leo said with a friendly smile. "Nice to see you again. How may I help you today?"

"Thank you for seeing me." Violet replied. "I was hoping to talk to you about Arthur's expedition. Have you heard anything?"

"I got a letter from Professor Whitney a few days ago." Leo replied. "He said there were some delays, but he remained optimistic they would find what they were looking for."

"I heard the same." Violet said. "Do you know what they are looking for exactly? Another ancient Wizard city?"

"Something like that." Leo replied. "The professor believed there is an ancient city hidden in a mythical valley. In human myths, it is known as Shangri-La."

"Wait, isn't that a fictional place?" Violet asked with a frown. "I remember seeing it in a movie once."

"The professor believes it to be real." Leo replied. "He has researched it for years. That is why he was so interested in Arthur's theories."

"Do you think he's right?" Violet asked. "Arthur believes all these ancient cities were once build by Wizards, only to be abandoned when they nearly went extinct."

"Yes, I read his research." Leo replied with a nod. "I believe he might be correct. After all, the Wizard race was once powerful enough to make even the Source of All Evil fear them."

"Which led to their extinction." Violet concluded sadly.

"Not entirely." Leo replied. "The Charmed Ones encountered a few wizards, and Arthur himself was fathered by a Wizard. I believe there is still a handful of Wizards out there."

"Of course." Violet said.

"So why are you so curious about the expedition?" Leo asked.

"I'm not, at least not really." Violet replied. "I just can't help shake the feeling that something is wrong. I'm worried something happened."

"I see." Leo replied.

"You don't believe me." Violet noted disappointed. "I'm sorry to bother you."

Feeling embarrassed about making a fool out of herself, Violet wanted to walk away, though Leo gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "No, Violet, wait. If my years with the sisters have taught me anything, it's to always trust your intuition. If you think something is wrong, we will find out."

"You can do that?" Violet asked.

"Absolutely." Leo said. "When he left, Professor Whitney left a magical crystal that could be used to contact him in case of emergency. It's in my office, follow me."

Violet nodded and followed Leo to his office. When they entered, Leo closed the door behind them and walked to his desk. He retrieved a small blue crystal from his desk. Violet noticed it was a similar crystal to the one Arthur once used. Leo closed his eyes and focused, causing the crystal to start flashing. After a moment, Leo opened his eyes and frowned.

"It is not working." He explained. "For some reason, I cannot reach Professor Whitney."

"What does that mean?" Violet asked.

"It means that either he can't answer my call, or the signal is not reaching him." Leo replied. "Have you tried calling Arthur on a regular phone?"

"No, he said it would be useless, so he didn't bring it." Violet said. "That is why we've been writing letters. His last letter is from a small village near the Kunlun Mountains."

"Which is where the valley is located according to the legends." Leo reasoned. "If they entered the valley, it would make sense that we can't reach them. It would be protected by ancient magic."

"Can I see the crystal?" Violet asked.

Leo nodded and handed over the crystal. The moment Violet touched it, she was pulled into a premonition. _She saw Arthur and an elderly looking man walking down a rocky mountain path with several others. They stopped in front of a large stone archway. When the elderly touched it, they were all pulled through a portal. Then a winged creature appeared throwing fire._ Violet gasps as the premonition ended and dropped the crystal.

"Are you okay? What did you see?" Leo asked.

"That they are definitely in trouble." Violet replied worried. She had not seen if Arthur had been injured by the flying creature, but she knew he was in danger. Her intuition was right all along. She needed to go find her boyfriend and bring him back home.

Xxx

In a column of smoke, Duncan appeared in an alley behind the nightclub P3. It was the only place he could think of that Homeland Security would not check. He needed to find a way to deal with them, since he knew Murphy was not going to give up. He considered the twins as but a pair of criminals, but Duncan knew they had great potential for good and he wasn't ready to say goodbye again. He circled around the club until he found the twins on the parking lot.

"Were you followed?" Nathan asked the moment he spotted him.

"Of course not, I used a teleportation potion." Duncan said. "How else do you think I got here this fast?"

"Sorry, sometimes I forget not everyone can move as fast as me." Nathan replied with a shrug. "So we got more trouble, don't we?"

"Yeah, seems like you're not just popular in the magical community anymore." Duncan remarked. "Homeland Security is after you as well now."

"How do they even know we're back?" Nick asked.

"They're the government, they probably never stopped watching us." Duncan reasoned. "Does it matter how they know? The important thing is that they know."

"Then we need to leave." Nick said determined. "I hate running, but if those agents keep chasing us, I know someone will end up getting hurt. And it won't be us."

"No." Nathan replied. "I'm tired of running. If we run, we'll never be able to build a normal life for ourselves. We'll always be criminals."

"Got a better idea?" Nick replied angrily. "Because I would love to hear it!"

"We need to find a way to keep people from coming after you." Duncan said while thinking aloud. "So you can start with a clean slate."

"That's impossible." Nathan said. "It's not like we can change the past. It will always be there."

As Duncan considered his words, an idea suddenly formed in his mind. It was risky, but worth a shot. "We can't change the past, no, but that doesn't mean others can't." He said with a smile.

"What are you talking about?" Nick asked frowning.

"We need to make people forget what you did." Duncan replied.

"That's easier said than done. How? We don't have that kind of power." Nathan argued. "The only ones who can do that are the…"

"The Tribunal?" Duncan finished his sentence.

"Are you insane?" Nick called out angrily. "The Tribunal are not really the helpful kind. They'd sooner erase us from existence than erase our past."

"Then we'll just have to convince them." Duncan replied.

"Why would they even consider helping us?" Nathan asked skeptically. "We haven't exactly done anything to deserve a second chance."

"Seriously? You just helped destroy an evil casino and freed dozens of captured innocent souls." Duncan said. "You've already shown you can be good."

"I don't know. It sounds like a huge risk." Nathan said.

"Do you have a better alternative besides running again?" Duncan asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Not really." Nathan admitted reluctantly and exchanged looks with his brother, who eventually nodded. "Alright, if you think it will work, we'll do it."

"How do we even reach them?" Nick asked. "Do we expose magic until the Cleaners show up?"

"No, they don't really like that." Duncan replied as he remembered hearing about something similar the Charmed Ones did years ago. "I might know someone who can help."

"Okay, let's just get this over with then." Nick said.

Duncan nodded and pulled another teleportation potion out of his pocket. If they really were going to the Tribunal, they needed someone who knew what they were dealing with. Luckily, Duncan knew the perfect person to ask for help. As they gathered in a circle, Duncan smashed the bottle on the floor and they all disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Xxx

Still trying to find Duncan to convince him about the amazing house, Billie walked across campus to his dorm room. As she headed to his building, she suddenly noticed a suspicious black SUV standing in front of the campus and stopped. She had seen vans like that before. She pretended not to notice it as she walked past, though a car door opened the moment she did. Billie stopped and saw agent Murphy getting out.

"Agent Murphy." Billie said a little hostile. "What did I do this time?"

"I'm not sure." Murphy replied. "Perhaps you're not directly involved, but we both know one of your friends is hiding fugitives."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Billie replied.

"You witches really aren't good liars." Murphy remarked. "Look, I know Duncan is helping the twins, probably because of his relationship with one of them, but I'm hoping you're smarter. You know those twins are trouble. One a criminal, always a criminal."

"I don't believe that." Billie said. "I made plenty of mistakes myself. I don't judge people that easily anymore. You should try it sometimes."

"This isn't about me, Billie." Murphy said. "Those twins have committed serious, sometimes violent crimes. They need to be held accountable."

"Look, Murphy, I know you're just doing your job." Billie said. "But I don't know anything. And even if I did, I'm not obligated to help you. I seriously doubt the twins will get a fair trial once you capture them, and I will not give you more magical beings to run your sick experiments on."

"Is this still about the virus?" Murphy said annoyed. "I already apologized for that and I had nothing to do with it to begin with."

"I don't care." Billie said determined. "Even if you're innocent, your department is definitely not. We're done talking."

Billie turned around and walked away. As she headed into the building, she heard Murphy get in his car and drive off. She grabbed her phone and tried to call Duncan. However, before she could, a magical portal suddenly opened under her feet and she fell through screaming. When the portal closed, it looked like nothing had ever happened.

A similar portal opening in the ceiling of Magic School and Billie continued to scream until she landed on a red sofa in the middle of the grand hall. Disoriented and annoyed, she looked around and saw Violet and Leo standing in front of her.

"Leo, what the hell?" Billie called out as she got up and corrected her hair, which had been severely messed up in the violence of the portal.

"Sorry, this was the fastest way to get you here." Leo said with a faintly amused smile.

"What about exposure? Or personal gain for that matter?" Billie argued. "I was just…"

"Billie, that doesn't matter right now." Violet interrupted her. "Arthur is in danger."

"Oh my God, are you sure?" Billie asked.

"I had a premonition." Violet explained. "I saw the expedition disappear and being attacked by some kind of flying creature that threw fire. We need to find him and bring him back."

"Of course." Billie agreed without hesitation. "Have you called Duncan?"

"We can't reach him." Violet replied.

At that moment, a column of smoke rose up in the middle of the room and Duncan appeared with the twins. He looked surprised to see them. Billie, on the other hand, was surprised the twins could even enter the school with their mixed heritage.

"What are you doing here?" Duncan asked.

"Long story, but Arthur is missing and we need to go find him." Billie said. "Why are you here?"

"We got some problems of our own." Duncan replied. "Agent Murphy is back and determined to arrest the twins."

"Not to mention half the demonic world wants us dead." Nick remarked.

"I know, I ran into Murphy at the dorm." Billie replied. "You're right, he will not stop until he has the twins in custody."

"That's why we're here." Duncan said as he looked at Leo. "We figured there is only one way out and we need the headmaster for that."

"I don't see how I could help." Leo replied.

"Well, I was hoping you would help us appeal to the Tribunal." Duncan explained.

"The Tribunal?" Billie asked with a frown. "Are you insane?"

"It's our only chance." Duncan replied.

"It will be quite a risk to go up against the Tribunal." Leo reasoned. "You will need a strong case and even then they can be unpredictable. But if you're determined to do this, then I will help you."

"Will the two of you be able to handle this without me?" Duncan asked as he turned to the others.

"We have no idea what we're up against. Violet said concerned.

"But we also need to stop Murphy from getting the twins." Billie said.

"Ah, I didn't know you cared." Nick remarked.

"Don't flatter yourself." Billie replied annoyed. "I just don't want the government getting their hands on more magic."

"I'd rather have your hands on me anyway." Nick replied in a flirty tone, which Billie chose to ignore.

"Are you sure?" Duncan asked worried.

"We'll be fine." Billie replied as she looked over to Leo. "If we can take some magical supplies from the school that is…"

"Of course, take whatever you need." Leo said. "I will prepare our appeal to the Tribunal. You can use the portal system of the school when you're ready. Good luck."

As Leo walked away, Billie and Violet said goodbye to the others and left to get ready. Since they had no idea what they would be facing, they had to be prepared for anything. A mythical valley in the middle of the mountains, holding ancient mysteries. If Arthur wasn't in potential danger, it would almost sound exciting.

xxx


	3. Chapter 3

Chosen Chapter 10: Raiders of the Lost Valley

Part 3

Xxx

In a small village in the snowy Kunlun Mountains, a tall young man with spiky brown hair was standing out in the snow overlooking the valley. He knew that if the witches were coming to find the expedition, they would start here. He needed them to find the valley. He could not fail again. Still, he was surprised when a swirling blue portal opened just outside of the village. With loud screams, two young women fell from the portal into the snow. One was a beautiful blonde and the other a cute redhead.

"Finally." He muttered. "I've been freezing out here for hours."

The young man turned to the valley and started running. He had come up with a plan. He needed to stick close, as he could not risk losing them like the expedition. When he reached a small and steep path into the valley, he stopped and braced himself. This was going to be risky, but he needed to win their trust. The young man closed his eyes and held out his hands. Soon the earth under his feet began to tremble and rocks started to fall down. When he opened his eyes, a tremor went through the mountain, causing a rock slide to crash down upon him.

Xxx

Billie shivered as she got up from the snow and looked around. Luckily, she and Violet had come prepared, otherwise she would have been a cute blonde popsicle by now. They had gathered warm clothes, equipment and potions from Magic School. She just hoped it was enough to help them find what they were looking for. Billie looked at the village behind them and saw the people living there going about their ordinary lives. She hoped nobody had seen the portal. Meanwhile, Violet grabbed a map and a compass from her bag.

"We should get moving." She said determined.

"Shouldn't we ask in the village?" Billie asked.

"Do you speak Mandarin?" Violet asked with a frown.

"No, but we could try a translator spell." Billie suggested.

"We're looking for a magically hidden valley." Violet replied. "Even if they know anything, do you think they would tell some random strangers?"

"Good point." Billie agreed. "What's got you all assertive and stuff?"

"The fact that my boyfriend is missing and possibly hurt." Violet said. "Why?"

"No reason, I think it's good." Billie said. "I can see you love him, and that you're good together. He makes you feel more confident, right?"

"I guess so." Violet replied. "I just love him and I don't want to lose him."

"Don't worry, sweetie." Billie said as she placed an arm around her. "We'll find him. Even if we have to search every inch of these frozen mountains."

"It's like a needle is a haystack." Violet replied with a sigh as she looked around.

"Well, judging from the map, there is one small path leading into the valley." Billie said as she studied the piece of paper. "What better way to start?"

"You're right." Violet replied with a smile. "Let's go."

Billie and Violet started to walk away from the village and headed toward the mountain path. After a little while, Billie started to realize why she never went hiking. She hated the cold and the walking, and her backpack was really heavy and ugly. She made a promise to herself to just stick to beach vacations from now on. Just as they reached the path, a tremor suddenly caused everything to tremble. Billie looked up and saw a rock falling down.

"Look out!" Billie yelled.

Billie flung her arm and telekinetically pulled Violet back at her. They crashed into each other and rolled in the snow while the rocks tumbled down the mountain.

"Thanks." Violet said as she wiped the snow from her face.

"You're welcome." Billie replied. "Let's be careful from now on."

Billie helped Violet up and they continued down the path, avoiding the rocks that had fallen down. For a second, Billie thought she heard something and looked around. She figured she must have imagined it and continued walking. Then she heard it again. A call for help.

"Did you hear that?" Billie asked.

"Yeah, maybe it's someone from the expedition!" Violet replied.

The two witches hurried down the path. Further ahead, there were a bunch of rocks blocking their way and someone was buried under the rubble. It was a handsome guy about their age, or slightly older, with spiky brown hair. His leg was caught under a rock and he was crying out for help.

"Are you alright?" Billie asked as they ran over.

"You're American?" the guy asked. "Wow, I'm so lucky. I was trying to find my way back to the village when I was caught in a rock slide."

"What were you doing here?" Violet asked.

"I was part of a research expedition." The guy replied. "My name is Bryant Hughes. Who are you?"

"We're looking for a friend of ours." Billie replied. "What kind of research expedition?"

"I can't really say. It's sort-of secret." Bryant replied. "Now can you please get this rock off me?"

"Are you working for Professor Whitney?" Violet asked.

"You know the professor?" Bryant asked. "Then you know… about magic?"

"Of course we do, we're witches." Billie replied.

"Oh, thank God." Bryant called out. "I was worried you were mortals. Then I would never have been able to explain what happened. But can you first please get this rock off me?"

"Are you hurt?" Violet asked.

"Not hurt, just stuck." Bryant replied. "The rock is too heavy for me to lift."

"Allow me." Billie said.

Billie held out her hands and telekinetically lifted the rock off him before throwing it away. Bryant quickly checked his leg and slowly got up. Billie was surprised to see he wasn't hurt at all, which she thought was very strange.

"You're lucky." Billie remarked suspiciously. "Now can you please tell us who you are and how you know the professor?"

"Sorry, of course." Bryant said. "I'm his personal assistant. I used to go to his classes and I eventually chose the same field as him."

"Are you a witch?" Billie asked.

"Yeah, just like you." Bryant replied. "But I don't have any active powers."

"Do you know Arthur Cobbs?" Violet asked.

"Of course, he was on the expedition." Bryant said. "The professor asked him along for his expertise on Wizard history. He's a nice guy."

"Do you know what happened to him? Or the rest of the expedition?" Violet asked concerned.

"I don't know." Bryant admitted reluctantly. "I was running behind because the professor asked me to take some pictures. When I finally got to the rendezvous point, they were gone. I doubled back hoping to find them, but I got lost. Then the rock slide happened."

"Do you think they found the valley?" Violet asked.

"It has to be magically hidden." Bryant replied. "I tried finding the entrance, but I couldn't. Wait a minute, a redhead. You're Violet, aren't you? Arthur has been talking about you the entire time."

"He talked about me?" Violet asked with a faint smile.

"Of course." Bryant replied. "It was quite annoying actually."

"Do you think they're still alive?" Billie asked a little impatiently.

"I have no idea." Bryant said. "We had no idea what to suspect in the valley."

"I had a premonition about them being attacked by some kind of flying creature." Violet said. "Know anything about that?"

"No, but it makes sense that such an ancient valley is guarded by something." Bryant said. "Who knows what kind of treasure is hidden there? Did you happen to see how to reach the valley? How to enter it?"

"I saw a stone archway." Violet replied.

"An archway?" Bryant repeated confused. "I don't remember coming across anything like that."

"Well, then we should go look for it." Violet said.

"Agreed. I can show you way I came from." Bryant said.

"Didn't you get lost once already?" Billie remarked.

"I did, but once you get in the valley, you might need me." Bryant replied. "I know all the professor's research."

"He's right, Billie, we have no idea what's in that valley." Violet said.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?" Billie replied.

Billie grabbed Violet by the arm and dragged her away from the mysterious Bryant. There was something about him that she just didn't trust. He said he was trapped, but somehow he wasn't hurt at all, that made no sense. Not to mention his timing was pretty convenient.

"What's going on?" Violet asked confused.

"I don't trust him." Billie replied.

"Why not?" Violet asked. "He is part of the expedition. Why else would he be here? And how does he know that stuff about the professor and Arthur?"

"His story doesn't make sense." Billie explained. "What if he's just using us to find the valley? He said it was filled with treasure."

"You think he's a treasure hunter?" Violet asked.

"Well, he does have that kind of hot, Indiana Jones thing going on." Billie remarked as she looked over her shoulder.

"Indiana Jones was an archeologist, not a thief." Violet replied.

"He stole stuff, didn't he?" Billie said.

"No, he didn't." Violet replied. "Anyway, none of this matters. I don't care what Bryant is after, as long as he can help us enter the valley. Arthur needs us."

"So you want to take him along?" Billie asked with a frown.

"No matter what he says, he's right about one thing." Violet explained. "We have no idea what's inside that valley. If he does, then we might need his help."

"Alright, I see your point." Billie admitted reluctantly. "Fine, he can come."

Billie and Violet walked back to Bryant and picked up their bags. "So does this mean I get to tag along?" he asked.

"For now." Billie replied. "Just don't get any funny ideas."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Bryant remarked.

"Let's get moving." Billie said. "Take us to where you last saw the expedition."

Bryant nodded and they continued down the rocky path. As they continued to head further, the trail kept getting smaller and steeper. Eventually, they had no choice but to grab their climbing gear and climb down into the valley. As they secured the ropes, Billie noticed Bryant smiling at her. She pretended to smile back and hoped he wouldn't cut the ropes when they were halfway down.

Xxx

After some preparation time, Leo guided Duncan and the twins into a small empty room. It had no windows and only two doors, the one through which they entered and another bright red one. Duncan wondered where it led, though he could probably guess. He noticed he was a bit nervous. Most of the things he heard about the Tribunal were not very good. However, with Homeland Security on the hunt, what other choice did they have?

"Are you sure you want to proceed?" Leo asked.

Duncan looked at the twins, who both nodded in silence. "Yeah." Duncan replied.

"Alright, just a few things." Leo said. "Don't speak unless you're spoken to, show them the proper respect and no telepathic chatter. They will hear you."

"Understood." Nathan said. "Anything else?"

"Well, you're about to ask them for a huge favor." Leo said. "If you want this to work, you will have to convince them your intentions are not just selfish."

"But they are." Nick replied with a frown.

"Try to convince them otherwise." Leo said patiently.

"Look, clearing their names is in the best interest of everyone." Duncan said. "We all know the government can't be trusted with magic."

"Exactly." Leo said. "That is what you need to convince the Tribunal of."

Leo headed to the bright red door and opened it. Behind the door was nothing but darkness, though Leo waved at them to follow. When they stepped through the door, they were standing on a floating white platform in endless darkness. Once the door closed, it disappeared. Duncan noticed a bright circle in the middle of the platform.

"Don't step on the circle." Leo warned them. "It will show whatever thought or memory is on your mind."

"How do we summon them?" Duncan asked.

"With this." Leo replied as he handed him a piece of paper. "It's a spell, which I can't cast now that I'm mortal. Remember, once you cast it, there is no going back."

"I know." Duncan replied. "Are you ready?"

"Ready as we'll ever be." Nathan said.

"Let's just do this." Nick added.

Duncan nodded and looked at the paper. He held it up and read the spells aloud. "_Di! Ecce hora! Uxor mea me necabit_!"

A wave of cold air rushed through the darkness and the giant floating heads of four elderly men appeared. Duncan knew that two were former Elders, while the others were demons, though he could not keep them apart.

"Who summons us?" One of the heads asked.

"Forgive me, wise ones." Leo said as he held out his hands. "My name is Leo Wyatt, headmaster of Magic School."

"A mortal." One of the heads said disapprovingly.

"Yes, though I was formerly a Whitelighter, Elder and Avatar." Leo replied. "However, I am not seeking an audience for myself. I am merely a representative. I am here to represent Nick and Nathan Ross."

"Warlocks." One of the heads said.

"Witches, actually." Nick remarked. "With some warlock blood."

Leo turned to Nick with a disapproving look while his brother jabbed him in the side with his elbow. Nick glared at him but understood he needed to keep his mouth shut. The floating heads seemed impatient and Duncan had a feeling this was already going in the wrong direction.

"And who is the fourth?" Another head asked.

"My name is Duncan Phillips." Duncan said as he stepped forward. "Graduate of Magic School and member of the Chosen."

"Do you represent the half-breeds as well?" One of the heads asked. "What is your stake in this?"

"I care about them, one in particular, and I support their request." Duncan replied.

"Then tell us what you want." Another head said.

"Allow me." Leo said and he cleared his throat. "We kindly ask the Tribunal to clear the records of the twins' criminal past, so they may be allowed to continue their lives without the risk of exposure and live up to their full potential."

The Tribunal fell silent and the four floating heads seemed to have a silent debate over their request. Eventually, they all turned their attention to Duncan and the others.

"Request denied." One of the heads said.

"What?" Duncan called out shocked. "You haven't even listened to what we have to say."

"And we don't have to." Another head replied. "We are tasked with monitoring all magic and preventing exposure. We answer only to the Grand Design, so why should we care about the fate of two criminals?"

"Because magic has already been exposed!" Duncan argued. "If you do nothing, the mortal government will get their hands on more magic. Do you guys want another virus?"

"We do not care about your government." Another head said. "They pose no true threat and they keep magic hidden from the public eye."

"Fine, then I appeal." Duncan said determined. "Based on the fact that you have failed to take everything into consideration."

"That is your right." One of the heads said. "In that case, we shall begin a formal trial. Prepare your case."

The floating heads faded away and Duncan realized this meant trouble. He looked at Leo and the twins and knew they realized the same thing. What started out as a simple request, had quickly turned into a trial to decide the fate of the twins.

xxx


	4. Chapter 4

Chosen Chapter 10: Raiders of the Lost Valley

Part 4

Xxx

The moment Arthur woke up, the dream he had started fading away. All he could remember was that Violet had been there, and he was very happy to be with her. The rest had already become a blur. He opened his eyes and found himself lying on a stone floor in a dark location. He tried to stretch, but his arms and feet both hit something hard. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he saw he was trapped in a small round cage made of heavy wood. There was no light other than the glow of fire in the distance. His equipment and bags were gone, though he still had a lighter in his pocket. He lit the lighter and looked around. His cage was one of many in a large stone room. Suddenly he heard movement in the cage next to him.

Arthur turned to the cage and saw Professor Whitney sitting inside it, leaning against the cage with his back turned to him. He was an elderly man with white hair, the prime example of an old and stuffy scientist.

"Professor?" Arthur asked.

"Arthur?" the professor asked. "What happened?"

"Last thing I remember was going through the portal." Arthur replied. "Something attacked us and I lost consciousness."

"I remember the same." The professor said as he sat up. "Any idea how much time has passed?"

'My watch is not working." Arthur replied as he looked at it. "It stopped the moment we entered the valley."

"Of course, this entire valley is protected by magic." The professor reasoned as he held up a compass, which was spinning out of control. "Nothing modern seems to work here."

"What about your communication crystal?" Arthur asked.

"I think I lost it during the attack." The professor replied. "But I doubt it would work anyway. Have you tried using your powers?"

"Not yet." Arthur replied.

"Wait, something is coming." The professor warned him.

Arthur heard footsteps and turned around. A large figure entered the room holding a torch. It had the shape of a burly man, though with large, bird-like wings on its back. Initially, Arthur thought it had the head of an eagle, though he later saw it was actually a bronze helmet. The birdman headed to one of the cages on the other side of the room and opened it. Someone screamed as he was dragged from the cage and Arthur saw it was Robert, the young assistant of the professor. Arthur wanted to do something, but the professor shook his head. Arthur watched reluctantly as Robert was dragged away kicking and screaming.

"Why didn't you let me help him?" Arthur asked angrily.

"Those things easily overpowered us earlier." The professor explained. "If you had made a move, it would have killed you. We need to be smart. Look around, most of the cages here are empty, that means most of the expedition had already been taken."

"Do you think they're dead?" Arthur asked.

"I don't know." The professor replied. "But you can't stick around to find out. Try teleporting."

Arthur nodded and attempted to get out. He disappeared through swirling blue spirals and appeared on the other side of the cage. He walked to the cage of the professor and kneeled down. He then noticed the professor was clutching his stomach, which was badly hurt and bleeding. The professor seemed tired and was breathing heavily.

"I can get you out of here." Arthur said quickly.

"Don't bother." The professor replied reluctantly. "Those things hurt me pretty bad when they ambushed us. I'm already dead."

"I can teleport you to a hospital." Arthur argued.

"No you can't. This valley is shielded." The professor replied. "You won't be able to teleport past the protective barrier. The portal is the only way out."

"I can't just leave you here." Arthur said.

"Don't you have a girlfriend to get home to?" the professor asked with a faint smile.

"Of course, but what about you? Don't you have anyone?" Arthur replied.

"I don't. I have dedicated my entire life to my research." The professor explained as he pulled a journal from his jacket pocket. "Take this. I want you to get out, so you can live and my final work can be published. Let my research mean something."

"But we still don't know everything." Arthur said. "It took us months to even find the portal."

"I have some theories written down in there." The professor said he pointed at the journal. "I think you were right. It all comes back to the Wizards."

"What about these winged monsters?" Arthur said. "Do you know what they are?"

"Garuda Demons." The professor replied. "Ancient demons who act as guardians to treasure. I think the Wizards placed them here to protect something before they were driven to extinction."

"So this valley is not a Wizard city…" Arthur concluded. "It's a vault."

"Exactly." The professor replied weakly. "I knew bringing you along was a smart move. Now you need to get going. The Garuda will be back soon. I am getting tired, my time is running out. Don't feel bad, my boy. I am glad I at least got to find this place. It was the last piece of the puzzle."

"I'm sorry." Arthur said emotionally.

"I know, but I'm not." The professor replied with a faint smile.

The professor gasped and let out one final breath. It seemed he had finally succumbed to his injuries. Arthur signed and closed the professor's eyes with his fingers. Even though he only knew him shortly, he had greatly admired the old man. With the rest of the cages empty, Arthur knew he was on his own now. He needed to be strong and keep going. He needed to get home, not just because he loved Violet and wanted to get back to her, but also because the professor wanted it. He safely stashed the journal in his jacket and started to walk away.

When he heard footsteps, Arthur stopped and held his breath as he quickly hid behind a large stone pillar. One of the Garuda Demons walked past him and headed to the cages, so Arthur quickly headed in the opposite direction. A moment later, he heard a furious roar and realized the demons knew he had escaped.

Xxx

Violet screamed as she slipped and fell during her climb down the snowy path. However, she was caught by two strong arms and looked up at Bryant. He smiled at her and Violet nervously smiled back. There was something oddly familiar about him, though she could not tell why. She remembered Billie telling her he could not be trusted. She was probably right, his sudden appearance was suspicious to say the least.

"Thanks." Violet mumbled as Bryant sat her down on the ground.

"You're welcome." Bryant replied.

"Vi, are you okay?" Billie asked as she leaped down and levitated to the ground.

"I'm fine." Violet said. "As long as that is the last climb down."

"It is, we're close now." Bryant said. "The rest of the path is pretty straightforward. The only problem is finding the archway."

"How do you miss something like that?" Billie asked skeptically as they started to follow the path again.

"Uh, there are a lot of rocks here." Bryant replied. "I study anthropology, not geology. Rocks are not exactly my specialty."

"Funny." Billie replied with an eye roll. "So tell us about the research. What did the expedition hope to find out here?"

"I'm not sure I'm at liberty to discuss it." Bryant replied. "The professor is very secretive about his work."

"Well, it will be secret for a long time if we don't find them." Billie replied.

"I guess you're right. What has Arthur told you?" Bryant asked.

"Not much, expect that it has to do with his own research concerning the ancient Wizard cities." Violet replied. "That's the reason the professor asked him along, right?"

"Right." Bryant said. "Well, the professor seems to think one of those cities is hidden in the valley. He believed the ancient myths about Shangri-La are actually about Wizards."

"I never cared much about history." Billie replied casually. "Leo tried teaching me one, but I nearly fell asleep."

"I read Arthur's research." Violet said. "I thought it was quite interesting. I just hope it's true. He will be so disappointed if it turns out to be false."

"Why would you think it's not true?" Bryant asked a little agitated as he turned to her. "It's a fact that Wizards were once the most powerful magical race. Until the Source decimated them out of fear. Finding these cities would just be the first step in restoring that glory!"

"Okay, no need to get worked up." Billie remarked. "Why is it such a big deal? Didn't it happen thousands of years ago? Finding these cities is not going to change anything."

"You don't know that." Bryant replied.

Bryant stubbornly kicked against a rock as he turned and kept walking ahead. Violet and Billie slowed down a bit until there as some distance between them. Violet wasn't sure why Bryant reacted the way he did, he seemed so frustrated about it. It made her worry. It was becoming obvious that there was more going on than he was telling them.

"That was weird, right?" Violet whispered.

"Definitely." Billie replied. "He is hiding something, we need to keep an eye on him."

"Can't we just leave him?" Violet asked.

"You're the one who said we might need him." Billie argued. "And as much as I distrust him, I'm afraid you're right. We have no idea what we're doing here."

"Perhaps we should have brought Duncan after all." Violet replied with a sigh.

"I think he's got his own stuff to deal with." Billie replied. "Those twins are a lot more trouble than they're worth."

Violet nodded and they continued walking. As she looked on ahead to the snowy valley, she wondered how they would ever find a single archway between all those rocks. She thought back to her premonition and how Arthur had been attacked by that flying creature. She just hoped that he was still alive and waiting for her. She needed to believe that.

Xxx

In the dark dimension of the Tribunal, Duncan moved close to the edge of the hovering platform and stared down into the deep. Beyond the platform there was nothing but emptiness, or at least that was what it seemed like. Perhaps it was some form of illusion. He wasn't really interested in finding out the hard way, so he quickly took a step back.

"So what is going to happen now?" Nathan asked impatiently.

"Once the Tribunal returns, a trial will begin." Leo explained. "We will need to convince them of our intentions and that you deserve a second chance."

"So we're screwed." Nick remarked.

"So you're just giving up?" Duncan asked annoyed.

"It's not like we have a lot of grounds to stand on." Nick replied. "Besides, the floating heads seemed more than a little judgy about the warlock thing."

"We need to believe that this will be a fair trial." Leo said.

A gust of wind blew through the darkness and a glass table appeared in a flash of light, accompanied by four metal chairs. At the same time, the four floating heads returned. Even though it was a serious situation, Duncan could not help but think they looked a little ridiculous. When one of the heads glared at him, he quickly buried that thought.

"Sit down." One of the heads ordered. "We are gathered here to determine the fate of Nicholas and Nathan Ross. For crimes committed with magic, they are wanted by the American government. For this reason, we have grounds to charge them for the exposure of magic."

"Hold on!" Duncan called out while the others sat down. "We came to you with a request. You have no right to turn this into a trial."

"We gained that right the moment you appealed." Another head replied. "When our judgment is questioned, we are obligated to re-examine all facts in a case."

"So if this is a trial, who is the prosecutor?" Leo asked.

On the other side of the platform, another table and chair appeared in a flash of light, following by sparkling white lights. The lights formed into a balding man in a white suit, a Cleaner.

"That's not fair." Duncan said. "The Cleaners work for you, that's a conflict of interest."

"The Cleaners have no true emotions." One of the heads said. "They were created to be neutral in every sense of the word. He will be truthful. Now sit down."

"Can we do anything about this?" Duncan whispered to Leo as he sat down at the table.

"I don't think so. We just have to play along for now." Leo replied and he stood up, addressing the Tribunal. "Alright, we are ready to begin."

The floating heads nodded. Duncan looked at Nathan and saw he was nervous. Duncan felt the same, as he feared the outcome of this trial. All he wanted was to help the twins get a second chance, so he and Nathan could at least have a shot at a normal relationship. Now he realized that was selfish, as he had put all of this in motion without even thinking about the potential consequences.

Xxx

Arthur sneaked through the hall of what appeared to be an ancient temple. It felt like he had been walking around forever without ever coming across a way out. When he saw a large fire in the distance, he decided to check it out. As he entered a large round room, he saw there was a stone altar in the middle, surrounded by large bowls of fire. He saw the Garuda standing in a circle, so he quickly hid behind a large statue. When he looked again, he saw a bound and gagged Robert lying on the altar, struggling to get free. Arthur wanted to help him, though he knew he didn't stand a chance against that many demons.

"What are they doing?" Arthur whispered.

One of the Garuda stepped forward and his hand became engulfed in flames. He walked over to the altar and pressed the flaming hand on Robert's chest. The young assistant screamed and started shaking uncontrollably. The Garuda stepped back and watched. Suddenly Robert became surrounded in flames and started to transform. His size increased and he became more muscular, causing his clothes to shred. He sat up and screamed as large wings sprouted from his back. He broke free and kneeled down before the Garuda as the flames faded. The demon then placed a bronze helmet over his head.

"Oh God." Arthur whispered in horror as he realized what had happened to the rest of the expedition. They had been converted into demons, which was probably the fate of all who tried to enter the valley.

Arthur backed away and accidentally kicked against a small rock. The sound echoed through the room and Arthur quickly cast an illusion to make himself invisible. The Garuda all turned and looked in his direction. Arthur tried to walk away under his cloak, though the eyes of the Garuda followed his every step. It didn't take him long to figure out what it meant. The demons were immune to his illusions, meaning they could see him.

xxx


	5. Chapter 5

Chosen Chapter 10: Raiders of the Lost Valley

Part 5

Xxx

As the wind began to increase and snow began to fall, Billie realized the weather in the mountains would soon take turn for the worse. A snow storm was coming, and if they did not find this magical valley fast, she feared they would freeze to death. They had been searching for hours, but the cold and barren mountains were full of rocks and snow, nothing else. Finding a single archway seemed to be impossible.

"That's it. I give up!" Billie called out in frustration.

"We can't. We need to find Arthur." Violet replied.

"Then we need another way to find him. This is pointless." Billie said before turning to Bryant. "And you've turned out to be pretty useless as well!"

"I told you, I won't be able to help until we're in the valley." Bryant snapped at her. "How was I supposed to know you witches had no idea what you're doing? I figured you came prepared."

"Us witches?" Billie asked with a glare. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, I'm just frustrated." Bryant replied as he looked around. "We're going to have to find shelter soon. A storm is coming. I have a tent in my backpack."

"Oh, I am not sharing a tent with you!" Billie said determined.

"Who said you could?" Bryant replied.

"Guys, stop it." Violet said. "I know we're all tired and this seems hopeless, but we need to keep going. Arthur is in danger. We need to find him."

"Why do you care so much?" Bryant asked.

"Because I love him, that's why!" Violet said angrily.

"Violet, that's it!" Billie suddenly called out. "Your love is the key."

"Uh… What are you talking about?" Violet asked confused.

"Sounds like she's gone crazy." Bryant remarked with a frown.

"No, I haven't. I'm just stupid for not thinking of this before." Billie said. "Vi, remember when we were on that island and you used that spell to track us? Cast it."

"How do we even know that will work?" Violet asked. "The valley is protected by magic, a simple spell is not going to get through a barrier like that."

"You don't know that." Billie said. "I know it sounds cheesy, but love really is the most powerful thing there is. If you truly love Arthur, your spell will lead us to him."

"I guess it's worth a try." Violet admitted. "I think I remember it, here goes."

"_Whether far or whether near, take me to the one I hold dear_

_Let the light show me the way, so I remain no longer astray_."

As Violet cast the spell with her eyes closed, she became surrounded in small pink lights, which gathered in front of her heart and combined into a single orb of pink light. When she opened her eyes, the orb shot forward and started to fly across the rocks in a flurry motion. Violet smiled and began running after it.

"I don't believe it." Bryant remarked.

"Well, perhaps you should try being a little more open-minded." Billie replied with an amused smile as she walked past him and chased after her friend.

After chasing the orb through an increasingly cold blizzard, Billie started getting the idea that they were running in circles. It was difficult to see in the snow, but she could swear she had seen the same rock at least three times.

"Do you think something went wrong?" Billie asked.

"I don't know." Violet replied as she looked at the orb hovering above them. "It does feel like we're stuck on a loop."

"Your silly love spell obviously failed." Bryant said.

"Rude much?" Billie remarked annoyed.

"No, I can't give up." Violet said determined as she stepped forward through the snow. "I will find him and I will…"

The earth seemed to shift and Violet screamed as the snow under her feet disappeared. Billie screamed as she saw her friend fall and disappearing from her sight. She hurried to the edge of the hole and looked down. Violet was lying in a pile of snow at least ten feet below her in a cavern. The pink orb hovered down and swirled around.

Billie did not hesitate and leaped down, using her levitation power to land in the snow next to Violet. She kneeled down and helped her out of the snow.

"Are you okay?" Billie asked worried.

"I'm fine." Violet said as she pointed at something behind her. "Look!"

Billie turned around and saw what Violet was pointing at. There was a large stone archway standing in the middle of the cavern. The orb hovered around it and flashed before disappearing.

"We found it." Violet said excited.

"No, you did." Billie replied.

"Amazing." Bryant said as he reeled down into the cavern on a rope. "It was right under our feet the entire time. The snow must have covered the cavern."

"How do we get through?" Billie asked.

"In my premonition, I saw the professor touching it." Violet said.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Bryant asked impatiently.

Bryant walked to the archway and placed a hand on it before Billie could stop him. Suddenly a violent vortex opened inside the archway. A strong wing began to pull them in and Billie screamed as she and the others were sucked through.

Xxx

In the dimension of the Tribunal, a reluctant Nathan was forced to see his past crimes in the form of a holographic screen. He felt the eyes on the floating heads burning in his neck and nervously looked at his brother, who instead stared at the table. The screen displayed how Nathan used his speed to pickpocket countless of innocents on the street, while Nick used his strength to destroy ATM's and parking meters for cash. That was how they started their crime spree as kids. He hated the fact that Duncan was now seeing it. He was not proud of his crimes and he did not want Duncan to see that part of his life.

"_Are you okay_?" Nick asked telepathically.

"_Leo said no telepathic chatter_." Nathan replied.

"_I don't care if they hear us_." Nick said as he rolled his eyes.

"_Do you care about any of this_?" Nathan asked with a frown.

"_Of course I do. I get what you meant about a fresh start_." Nick replied. "_I want that too_."

"_So you're okay with sticking around San Francisco_?" Nathan asked.

"_If that's what you want_." Nick said. "_For now at least_."

"_What does that mean_?" Nathan asked confused.

Before Nick could answer, one of the floating heads cleared his throat and Nathan quickly severed the telepathic connection. He looked up and saw the holographic screen disappear. He wondered how much he had missed. The Cleaner stood up and headed to the middle of the platform.

"As you can clearly see, they have been misusing their magic for personal gain as long as they have them." The Cleaner noted.

"But personal gain is not what they are being trialed for." Leo argued as he stood up. "As wrong as their crimes are, you charged them with exposure. And these holograms show they clearly know how to cover their tracks."

"They left behind a trail of unsolved crimes." The Cleaner replied. "This allowed the human agents to track them down. They misuse magic without any regard for the consequences."

"We've never hurt anyone." Nathan said as he stood up.

"The evidence shows otherwise." The Cleaner replied.

The Cleaner snapped his finger and another holographic screen appeared. This time it showed the twins robbing a bank and Nathan using his speed to knock out two security guards. The screen disappeared and the Tribunal frowned. Nathan refused to look at Duncan, since he would probably be disappointed with him.

"At least not seriously." Nathan remarked a little uneasy as he sat down.

"Still." Leo said as he got up. "The guards made a full recovery and it happened too fast for them to realize what happened."

"And we destroyed all the cameras." Nick added.

"Yet Homeland Security was able to track you down." The Cleaner argued. "Even if we tolerate these isolated events, their record speaks for itself. Based on the pattern, it is only a matter of time before they make a mistake that cannot be reversed."

"Stop." Duncan suddenly said as he slammed his fist on the table. "You keep talking about them like they're just criminals. They chose to stop and be on the side of good. All they want is a chance to prove that."

Nathan smiled, but the Tribunal clearly felt otherwise. "Then tell us what they have done to earn that chance." One of the Tribunal members said, causing a silence to fall.

Xxx

Billie screamed as she was violently thrown out of the vortex and landed in the dirt. She was followed by Violet and Bryant, after which the vortex closed. Billie instantly felt a difference in temperature and looked around. She was lying on the ground in a warm forest. The snow and cold were gone and she heard birds in the distance. It was like a completely different world. She noticed the archway was behind her, so at least there was a way out.

"Where are we?" Violet asked confused.

"I don't know, let me check." Billie replied.

Billie took off her backpack and winter coat and levitated up into the air. When she reached the top of the trees, she stopped and looked around. They were in a lush green valley surrounded by mountains. In the distance there several ancient looking structures, including one huge building that looked like a temple. There was no doubt that this was Shangri-La, and it was beautiful.

"What do you see?!" Bryant called from below.

Billie was about to yell something back when she noticed something in the distance. Something flew out of the temple and headed their way. From a distance, it looked like a small flock of birds, though she still had a bad feeling about it. When they came closer fast, her feeling was confirmed. They were not birds at all. They were large creatures that looked like winged muscular men, with heavy bronze helmets that covered their faces. She counted three of them.

"Incoming!" Billie yelled as she levitated down.

"Incoming what?" Violet asked scared.

"Whatever you saw in your premonition." Billie replied quickly. "And they do not look happy!"

With a roaring scream, one of the winged creatures burst through the trees and landed on the ground in front of them. He raised his hand and threw a stream of fire. Billie quickly flung her arm and redirected the fire back at him, though he was unaffected by his own flames.

"Can't we talk about this?" Billie asked panicked.

"They don't looked like the talking type." Bryant remarked.

Two more creatures landed on the ground and the three of them stepped forward. Each raised a hand and flames appeared. However, before they could throw it, Violet raised her hands defensively and they were caught in a temporal stasis, stopping them in their tracks.

"That's not going to hold them for long." Violet said. "We should move."

"Hold on, we don't know how many more of them are out there." Bryant replied. "If we don't vanquish them now, they might kill us later when we try to escape."

"We don't even know what they are." Billie replied.

"I know what they are, Garuda Demons. They are said to guard this valley and all its riches." Bryant explained. "You don't need to feel sorry for them, they're evil."

"You got me with demon." Billie replied with shrug.

Billie nodded at Violet and they both reached into their backpacks for a potion. As the demons began to unfreeze, they threw the potions. The two bottles collided in the air and created a massive explosion, engulfing all three demons at once. They screamed as the temporal stasis ended and they were reduced to ashes. Only their helmets remained.

"Impressive potions." Bryant said. "Got more?"

"A few, we came prepared." Billie replied.

"Good, I think we're going to need them." Bryant said.

"Do you know where we have to go?" Violet asked.

"Did you happen to see a huge temple anywhere?" Bryant asked as he turned to Billie.

"Yeah, it's straight ahead." Billie replied. "That's where the demons came from. You think that's where the expedition is?"

"Has to be." Bryant said determined.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Billie asked.

Billie picked up her backpack and threw it over her shoulder as she started walking. The others nodded and followed her as they began their journey through the forest.

Xxx

Arthur was running for his life through the temple halls as the Garuda chased him. Luckily, the halls were too small for them to take flight, otherwise they would have caught him already. Unfortunately, they were completely immune to all the illusions he threw at them. He barely evaded a stream of fire and took a turn at a crossroads. When he saw a wall in front of him, he realized that was a mistake, a dead end. He turned around, but the demons had already caught up to him.

"Robert?" He asked the demon that was formerly his friend. "A little help here?"

The former assistant did not respond. Arthur reasoned there was nothing left of his real self. The Garuda had burned away his humanity when they turned him into one of them. He was pure demon now. Arthur was not going to let that happen to him, since he wanted to get home to Violet. He smirked and disappeared through swirling blue spirals.

Arthur teleported into a dark chamber and waited to see if the demons would follow. When it remained silent, he hoped he had escaped for now. He turned on his lighter and looked around. When he lit a torch he found on the floor, the room was illuminated. He was standing in a large room filled with statues. Fascinated, he walked around and found a wall inscribed with symbols. He recognized a few of them. Hopefully the professor knew the rest. He grabbed the journal and started translating.

"The Source of All Evil has declared war on our kind out of fear we might overthrow him." Arthur read aloud. "Zanbar was the first to fall and was soon corrupted by evil. We know the end is near. A few have betrayed us. To protect our heritage, our kings decided to gather our most valuable possessions in this vault."

"Oh god." Arthur whispered. "So it's true. The ancient cities were built by the wizards, I was right."

Arthur continued translating. "We protected the valley with powerful magic. We placed the Garuda here as guardians, a necessary evil to keep it from being discovered. There are artifacts of power here that cannot fall into the hands of evil."

"Shangri-La must never be revealed to the world." Arthur finished.

Arthur sat down and took a deep breath. He had finally found what he had been searching for. Then why was he not happy about it? His ancestors were clear, they wanted this valley to remain hidden. He wasn't sure what to do. This vault contained great but potentially dangerous knowledge. What was he supposed to do now?

xxx


	6. Chapter 6

Chosen Chapter 10: Raiders of the Lost Valley 6

Part 6

Xxx

After hiking several miles through the thick green forest, Billie and the others reached a small creek. Billie sighed and grabbed a bottle of water. She took a few sips before handing it to Violet. The temperature in the forest was almost tropical, a stark contract with the snow just outside of the portal. There was definitely some very powerful magic involved to make this happen.

"We're getting close." Bryant announced. "We should keep moving before more Garuda show up."

"If they knew where we were, they would have attacked already." Billie replied. "I think they only know when we enter the valley."

"You mean it's like some sort of alarm system?" Bryant asked.

"I think so." Billie replied. "I think going through the portal is like ringing the doorbell. Now that we're through, they have no way to track us."

"Well, considering there is only way to go, it doesn't matter." Bryant replied. "They will be waiting at the temple."

"And the portal once we try to leave." Violet added. "Meaning getting out of here will be even harder than getting in."

"First things first." Billie said. "Once we get inside of the temple, we need to figure out where they are keeping the expedition."

"If they're even still alive." Bryant said.

"Arthur is alive, I know it." Violet said determined. "My spell would not have worked if he was dead."

"Maybe you can try casting it again." Billie suggested.

"Bad idea." Bryant replied. "The Garuda might not be able to track us, but a floating orb hovering through the trees? That is going to draw attention."

"Bryant is right." Violet said. "We'll just have to find him the old-fashioned way."

"Alright." Billie said. "Let's get moving then."

The others agreed and they continued their way through the forest. They had to duck and take cover a couple of times when the winged demons flew over the trees, but they eventually reached the temple. There was only one entrance as far as Billie could see. A large gateway with two large bowls of fire next to it. Two Garuda stood guard there, while more flew past. There was no way they were getting in unnoticed.

"We don't have enough potions." Violet said.

"I know." Billie replied. "We can't fight them all, meaning we have to get in, get Arthur and get out as soon as possible. We run for the portal and hope for the best."

"Wonderful plan." Bryant remarked.

"Do you have a better one?" Billie asked annoyed.

"There has to be another way in." Bryant said. "We split up and circle the temple."

"That will take forever." Billie argued. "And if we don't find another way in, we've wasted all that time for nothing."

"Wait a minute." Violet said as she looked up in the air. "The Garuda seem to fly past on a regular basis. If we time it right and run really fast, I can freeze the guards and we can get in unnoticed. Or at least get a head start."

"Are you sure you can reach that far?" Billie asked.

"I might need to get a little closer." Violet replied. "But it's our only shot."

"Alright, let's do it." Billie said. "Agreed?"

"It sounds pretty risky, but it's our best shot." Bryant reluctantly agreed.

"Alright, as soon as the birdies fly past, we make it a run for it." Billie said. "We need to be fast, so let's leave our bags behind."

The others nodded and dropped their bags on the ground. They got as close as they possibly could and waited. When the group of demons flew past, Billie nodded and they all started to run. Violet threw up her hands and the demons by the entrance froze. So far things seemed to go as planned. They ran up the stairs. Suddenly, a third guard stepped out of the temple. He saw them and Billie quickly reached for an athame. She threw it and hit him in the neck before he could sound the alarm. He fell down and combusted in flames.

They ran into the temple and Billie used telekinesis to call for her athame as she ran past it. The moment they were inside, they saw the flying patrol passing the gateway. They had barely made it.

"We did it." Violet said while trying to catch her breath.

"Yeah, let's keep moving though." Billie replied. "We don't know how many demons are in here."

"This is amazing." Bryant said as he looked at ancient symbols on the wall. "I never imagined it to be like this."

"Have you never seen symbols like this before?" Billie asked.

"Yeah, of course." Bryant replied with a frown. "But only in pictures and stuff. To actually see it is so different. So real."

"We should look for the expedition." Violet said.

"Right, right." Bryant replied casually and he walked past the wall to look at the symbols.

"Is it just me, or you do not seem particularly interesting in finding the people we came for?" Billie remarked suspiciously as she crossed her arms.

"I just want the chance to examine this place." Bryant replied. "I'm sure Professor Whitmore would understand."

"Don't you mean Professor Whitney?" Violet asked confused.

Billie looked at her friend and back at Bryant, who turned around with a caught expression on his face. She knew something was up. She had suspected it from the start. Her grip on her athame tightened.

"Yes, of course." Bryant replied quickly.

"Kind of odd for an assistant to get the name of his professor wrong." Billie said.

"Yeah…" Bryant slowly replied as a smirk appeared on his face. "I guess you caught me. Lying was never my strong suit. I always prefer a more direct approach. But what can I say? I needed you to get me in here."

"Who are you?" Violet asked. "You're not part of the expedition, are you?"

"No, I'm not." Bryant replied.

"Alright, enough of this." Billie said impatiently.

Billie held out her hand and telekinetically slammed Bryant into the wall. She held him tight and moved him up so his feet were not touching the ground. She added a slight pressure to make him uncomfortable.

"Talk." Billie ordered as she raised her blade. "If you're not part of the expedition, then what are you? A treasure hunter?"

"It's not that simple." Bryant replied. "I didn't come here for myself. I work for someone very powerful. And he's interested in what lies deep within this temple."

"And what's that?" Billie asked.

"I don't have to tell you." Bryant replied. "This little game is over. It's everyone for themselves now. Race you to the finish line."

Bryant formed a fist and punched the wall. Suddenly the entire hall began to shake and Billie and Violet lost balance. Billie accidentally released Bryant, who landed on his feet. He smirked and stomped his foot on the ground, causing the floor to crack and a large hole to open. Billie and Violet both fell down screaming and landed one floor below. Billie looked up and saw Bryant standing above them with an amused look. With one wave of his hand, the rock floor repaired itself, locking them in the underground tunnel.

"What the hell was that?" Billie called out frustrated.

"You were right not to trust him." Violet replied as they both got up. "He lied about the expedition, about being powerless, everything."

"What could he be after?" Billie asked.

"Does it matter?" Violet asked. "We came to find Arthur. Let's get him and the expedition and get out. Let the Garuda deal with Bryant. They must have heard that noise."

"Good point." Billie replied. "Except that we still don't know how to find him."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Violet replied. "Bryant was right about my spell being too dangerous outside, but in here, it should lead us straight to Arthur."

"Nice thinking." Billie said.

Violet smiled and quickly cast the spell. A bright pink orb appeared in front of her and floated down the tunnel, illuminating the way. The two witches began running after it. Billie hoped they would run into Bryant along the way, as she really wanted to kick his lying ass.

Xxx

Duncan sat in his chair and watched the holographic screen. It showed what occurred in Las Vegas only a few weeks ago. What better way to show the Tribunal that the twins could be good. They had helped bring that evil casino down and had saved countless innocents from a life of slavery. When the screen faded away, Duncan looked up at the floating heads and noticed they did not seem particularly impressed. The Cleaner cleared his throat and stood up.

"One good deed does not outweigh a lifetime of criminal activity." The Cleaner said. "Not to mention they were only at that casino because they intended to rob it."

"Yet they risked their lives to help save innocents when they could have run." Duncan argued. "I'm not saying their past crimes should be instantly forgiven. I'm just asking for a chance. They will never be able to redeem themselves if they have to keep running."

"That is not our concern." Another head said.

"But it is." Duncan replied. "You're supposed to be neutral, meaning you don't stand in the way of good and evil."

"What do you mean?" One of the heads asked.

"Well, the twins were neither good nor evil for a long time." Duncan said. "But now they have chosen to be good. You cannot stand in the way of that. Doesn't that interfere with free will?"

"We are not standing in the way." One of the heads said. "Their own past choices are."

"Exactly." Duncan replied. "Their past is preventing them from moving forward. Which is why we came to you for help."

"You still don't have a case." The Cleaner said. "You have presented no evidence as to why the Tribunal should honor your request."

"We have no solid evidence, but do we have intent." Leo argued as he walked to the center of the platform. "In a case like this, doesn't say enough? Despite their crimes, the twins have voluntarily come because they want to do better. All they are asking for is a fair chance."

"And what about the risk of future exposure? Or future crimes?" A floating head asked.

"Nobody can be certain of that." Leo replied. "But don't the Chosen pose the same risk? Don't all witches? We can't see the future, only the present and the past. We ask the Tribunal to look at the present as well, instead of just the past."

The floating heads exchanged looks as Leo sat back down. Eventually, the heads nodded in agreement. "We accept you premise." One of them said. "However, we still need one more thing to decide. We want to hear from the accused."

The twins both looked up with confused looks. "What do you want us to say?" Nathan asked.

"Tell us why we should give you a second chance." One of the heads replied.

Nathan nodded and wanted to stand up, though Nick grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back down. They frowned at each other and Duncan realized they were probably arguing telepathically. Nick shook his head and headed to the center of the platform.

"I'm not very good at this." Nick began. "But I think you should hear this from me. After all, I am often the one who gets us into trouble."

"Then speak." One of the heads replied impatiently.

"I don't want to make excuses, because I know what we did was wrong." Nick said. "But growing up, it felt like we didn't have a choice. Our parents disappeared when we were young and we got stuck in foster care. We were always different and people didn't like us for that, so we decided to take care of ourselves. We initially only took what we needed to survive, but I guess we became greedy. Or at least I did."

"What do you mean?" Another head asked.

"I got tired of scraping by." Nick admitted. "I wanted more. And since I'm the eldest, I was usually the one who made the decisions."

"I went along with it." Nathan argued as he stood up. "You're not taking all the blame."

"I am telling the truth." Nick said. "I made the decisions. I should be the one who is punished. Not my brother."

"Why the hell are you doing this?" Nathan asked angrily.

"Because out of the two of us, you were always better. I'm the bad twin, not you." Nick replied before turning to the Tribunal. "I am willing to take the blame if my brother gets to be free."

"You would sacrifice your life for that of your brother?" One of the heads asked.

"Yes." Nick replied determined.

"No." Nathan said angrily. "You don't get to make a decision like that on your own. We're supposed to be in this together."

"Do you also want to take the blame?" Another head asked.

"I am just as responsible." Nathan said. "My brother might think he's the boss because he's older, but he's wrong. I am not going to let him do this alone."

The heads nodded and retreated. Duncan had no idea what was going on, but he felt like this could go very wrong. With both of them taking the blame, the Tribunal could punish them both. This entire thing could backfire in their faces. After a few moments, the Tribunal reappeared.

"You have both shown to be aware of your crimes and admitted guilt." One of the heads said. "You have also shown bravery and selflessness by asking us to spare the other. We respect that. We can see that there is indeed potential for good in you."

"However." Another head said. "You have risked exposure for personal gain countless times. That is something we cannot forget."

"Based on these reasons, we have come to a decision." The third head said. "As a compromise, we have decided to wipe your records clean. Your crimes will not be erased, but all trails leading the human government to you shall be erased."

"But this shall come with a price." The fourth head said. "We cannot allow you live free of consequences. You have risked exposure by using your powers from crime. For this reason, you will be stripped of your powers of strength and speed."

"What?" Duncan asked. He wanted to argue but Leo put a hand on his arm. Duncan looked at him and he shook his head. Duncan realized that arguing could only make it worse.

"This is our decision." The first head said. "Goodbye."

The four heads nodded and faded away into the darkness. At the same time, the Cleaner disappeared through sparkling lights. A bright red door appeared on the platform.

"We should go." Leo said. "There is nothing more to be said here. We can talk back at Magic School."

Duncan and the twins all nodded in silence and they headed to the door. Duncan wanted to say something, but wasn't sure what. Instead, he decided to remain silent for now. The twins were silent as well and looked at the floor as they left the dimension behind.

xxx


	7. Chapter 7

Chosen Chapter 10: Raiders of the Lost Valley

Part 7

Xxx

In the underground room in the temple, Arthur stood by the wall containing the heartbreaking account of the Wizards. It was difficult for him to process all this information. He had been right about the ancient cities all along, but knowing the truth brought him no joy. The wizards were eradicated by the Source out of fear. Their cities were destroyed or long lost. Their most precious artifacts were buried in this tomb, kept from the world and guarded by demons. It was tragic to see how the wizard race had fallen.

Arthur had become interested in the Wizard culture because of his father. It made him wonder how he had survived their extinction. Had he been one of the lucky few to escape or one of the traitors to join the side of evil? It didn't really matter, he had abandoned him and his mother before he was even born. This was not personal, he needed to look at this from a professional perspective.

The wizards were one of the great mysteries of the past. Everyone would want to know about this discovery, yet the Wizards wanted to keep this vault hidden because the artifacts here were dangerous. However, he had promised the professor his work would be published. Not to mention that this was an amazing opportunity for himself. He could write history instead of study it.

"Dangerous or not, people deserve to know." Arthur commented as he looked at the warning.

Arthur continued to study the room and proceeded to take notes of everything important. Suddenly he found a massive door of solid stone. The image of a man holding a staff was embedded in the stone. He brought his torch to the symbols on the wall and started translating.

"In this vault lie the most sacred and powerful of artifacts." Arthur read. "To protect the world, these objects must never see the light of day again."

"Impressive, isn't it?" Someone suddenly asked.

Arthur spun around and saw a tall young man with spiky brown hair. Something about him seemed familiar, though he couldn't place it. He seemed threatening in the faint glow of the torch.

"Who are you?" Arthur asked. "How did you get here?"

"The name is Bryant." The young man said. "I got here the same way you did, Arthur."

"You know my name." Arthur noted. "Did Magic School send you to find us?"

"Something like that." Bryant replied. "I was sent to find this place, not to find you. I came for what's inside that vault."

"Why?" Arthur asked. "How do you even know?"

"I'm sure you will learn soon enough." Bryant replied. "Now I am going to enter that vault one way or another. Yu can either get out of my way, or I will have to force you."

"I can't let you do that." Arthur said. "We have no idea what is inside, it could be dangerous."

"I know what I'm dealing with." Bryant replied.

Bryant pushed Arthur out of the way and stepped toward the stone door. He placed both hands on the door. Suddenly Arthur felt a trembling in the ground. Cracks began to appear in the door and it crumbled into tiny rubble. Behind the door, a round room became visible. The walls seemed to be made of pure gold and a beam of sunlight was pouring in. Arthur knew he needed to stop Bryant, but he didn't have active powers to fight him. He needed to be smart about this. He needed to know more about him.

"You seem to know a lot about this place." Arthur said. "How so?"

"The man I work for has a particular interest in history." Bryant replied. "He wants what's inside this vault, so I am here to collect it."

"Who do you work for?" Arthur asked.

"Like I said, you will find out soon enough." Bryant replied.

Bryant walked into the golden vault and Arthur followed him. There were several statues and other artifacts in the vault. Some looked simple, others looked beautiful, though they all seemed to radiate power. Arthur noticed something that looked like a crystal hourglass and could only guess what kind of powerful magic it contained.

"Aren't you worried about the Garuda?" Arthur asked.

"They got other things to concern themselves with." Bryant replied. "I bet they are chasing those witches as we speak."

"Witches?" Arthur asked shocked.

"Yeah, looks like your girlfriend came to the rescue." Bryant said.

"Violet." Arthur said and became angry. "Did you hurt her?"

Bryant stopped and turned to him. "What if I did?" He asked with a smirk.

"You son of a…" Arthur snapped and took a swing, though Bryant blocked his punch and painfully twisted his arm.

"Nice swing, but not good enough." Bryant remarked amused. "Don't worry, I didn't harm the witches. I can't say the same for the Garuda though."

"Let go of me." Arthur demanded.

"Or what? You'll cast an illusion?" Bryant replied mockingly as he let go. "Don't bother. I was instructed not to hurt you, so I won't."

Bryant turned and walked to the middle of the vault. There stood a pillar in the sunlight. A staff was hovering above it. It looked like a thick wooden staff with a blue gem on top. Bryant grabbed the staff, which sent a shockwave through the vault. Soon everything began trembling.

"What did you do?" Arthur called out.

"Must be a final defense mechanism." Bryant replied surprised as he looked around. "This entire place is going to collapse soon. They clearly did not want this staff to get out."

"Put it back!" Arthur said.

"I can't." Bryant replied. "You have no idea what this means. You better get out of here. I'd hurry if you want to save your precious witches."

Bryant looked at the staff in his hand and disappeared through swirling blue spirals. Arthur was shocked to see him teleport like that. Only Wizards had that type of teleportation, which meant he had be one of them. Arthur barely had time to process when the trembling increased. Statues started to tumble and fall and he realized he needed to get out of there. But first he needed to find Violet and the others. He turned around and started running.

Xxx

The moment Duncan stepped through the bright red door, he felt guilty about what happened. He was the one who suggested going to the Tribunal in the first place. Although the criminal records of the twins had been erased, they had paid the price with their active powers. No more super strength or speed. Duncan could not imagine how he would feel if he lost his own powers. Everyone remained silent as they headed to the grand hall of Magic School.

"We did our best." Leo said. "The Tribunal are unpredictable to say the least. If you'll excuse me for a moment, I need to check on something."

Leo nodded and walked away while Duncan and the others remained in the empty hall. Duncan wanted to say he was sorry, though he wasn't sure how.

"Are you okay?" He eventually asked.

"Well, it worked." Nathan replied. "We got the government off our backs. It just sucks that our powers are gone along with them."

"Guess it didn't work out as we planned." Nick added. "Still, I think we managed to make it convincing enough."

"What do you mean?" Duncan asked confused.

"Well, we knew we were never going to win." Nathan explained. "Not unless we did something. And I have to admit, we gave one hell of a performance."

"Wait a minute." Duncan said. "Are you telling me that entire speech about both of you taking the blame for each other was just an act?"

"More like a con." Nick replied. "We knew we needed to show the Tribunal we were desperate enough to risk everything."

"We figured it was the only way to get their sympathy." Nathan added. "They were against us from the start. So we decided to go with the selfless play."

"So that's what you were arguing about." Duncan reasoned. "But I thought the Tribunal could pick up all telepathic chatter?"

"We don't need telepathy to know what the other is thinking." Nathan replied.

"I can't believe it." Duncan said with a frown. "I honestly don't know if I should be impressed or disappointed. I thought the entire point of this was to give you a second chance. You can't start fresh based on deceit."

"Look, I get what you mean." Nathan said. "But let's be honest. We were never going to win. They were against us from the start. They would never take us seriously."

"So you lied." Duncan said.

"We told them what we thought they needed to hear." Nick said. "It's not lying, more like bending the truth in our favor."

"Are you upset?" Nathan asked.

"I don't know." Duncan said. "I'm glad we got your records wiped clean. And I guess the Tribunal are a bunch of jerks. But I still feel like we've cheated."

"We cheated, not you." Nathan said. "You and Leo did your best. We couldn't have done this without your help."

"You should tell Leo." Duncan replied. "He deserves to know."

At that moment, Leo cleared his throat and Duncan saw him standing behind them. He expected the headmaster to be angry or disappointed, though he seemed calm about it.

"Don't worry." Leo said. "I understand what you did."

"You're not angry?" Nick asked.

"Well, let's just say I am not a big fan of the Tribunal, bad experiences." Leo replied. "It is not perfect, but now you have a real opportunity to show you can be good. I trust you will. It's a shame that you had to lose your powers, but there had to be a price to pay."

"Do you think we will ever get them back?" Nick asked.

"I don't think so, but that doesn't mean you can't develop new powers in the future." Leo said. "After all, you came from two magical bloodlines. Speaking of which, I found something." He held out a map and handed it to the twins.

"What is this?" Nathan asked.

"Apparently, my predecessor once looked into a pair of magical twins that were orphaned." Leo said. "He wanted to take the children to Magic School, but the Council of Elders thought it was too dangerous to bring warlock blood into the school."

"Gideon was looking into the twins?" Duncan asked nervously.

"Who is Gideon?" Nick asked.

"That's not important right now." Leo quickly said. "I just thought about the file during the trial and I figured it might give you some insight into your past."

"Thank you." Nathan said.

"Did you hear from Billie and Violet?" Duncan asked.

"No, unfortunately not." Leo said. "But we've only been gone a few hours."

"Should we go after them?" Duncan asked.

"We have no way to contact or locate them." Leo said. "We have no choice but to wait and see. I am sure they will be fine."

Leo walked away and Duncan sat down in a chair. He looked at the twins, who had started going through the map at a table. He wasn't sure why, but the thought of Gideon being involved in their past made him nervous. Everyone knew what Gideon had attempted for the so-called greater good. What if he had tried something similar with them?

Xxx

As the entire temple began to tremble, dust and pieces of rock began to fall down from the ceiling as Billie and Violet ran through the dark tunnel. Billie nervously looked up and wondered how long it would take before the entire structure would collapse. She wondered if Bryant had used this powers to destroy this place or if something else was going on.

"We need to hurry!" Billie called out.

"We can't leave without Arthur." Violet replied as she looked at the orb flying above them. "It is still leading us to him."

When echoed screams of rage echoed through the tunnel, Billie knew they were in trouble. She turned around and saw a small army of Garuda charging at them. Meanwhile, they reached a crossroads in the tunnel and the orb remained hovering.

"We have company." Billie said nervously as the demons came closer.

"I think the orb is lost." Violet replied.

Billie turned around and saw the demons had almost reached them. She focused on a loose piece of rock and used her power to fling it through the tunnel. She hit the demons and they were knocked back.

"Strike." Billie remarked, although she knew it would not keep them down for long. "Come on, pick a tunnel already."

"I don't understand why the orb isn't moving." Violet called out frustrated.

"What if Arthur is moving?" Billie asked.

Billie turned to the demons and saw one was about to throw a stream of fire. She raised her hand to send it flying back, though the demons were immune to their own flames. She reached for one of her potions and vanquished two of them.

"A little help here." Billie said.

"Oh no!" Violet called out.

"What?" Billie asked, though she got her answer as she turned around. More demons were pouring in from the opposite tunnel.

Billie flung her arm and sent two demons flying back before they could throw their flames. At the same time, Violet threw up her hands and all the demons in the tunnel froze. However, her power was not strong enough to stop the entire temple from falling apart. The trembling became worse and Billie guessed they only had a few minutes left.

"Time to move." Billie said.

"Where?" Violet replied in a panic. "The orb is stuck."

"Violet!" A familiar voice suddenly called out.

Billie and Violet turned around and saw Arthur running toward them past the demons. Violet cried out his name and ran over to hug him. They embraced and kissed as the orb hovered around them and disappeared. As touching as their reunion was, Billie was more worried about them being buried alive.

At that moment, the demons in the tunnel unfroze and charged at them while the tunnel finally gave in. One half on the tunnel collapsed and buried the demons under the rubble. Suddenly, Billie felt Arthur grab her arm and was swept away in spiraling blue energy.

Billie, Violet and Arthur reappeared outside on the temple and fell in the grass. Billie instantly turned around and saw the entire temple collapsing. They were out, and it looked like the demons were buried inside.

"Are you okay?" Arthur asked.

"We're fine." Violet said as she hugged him in relief. "I'm so glad you're safe."

"Thank you for coming for me." Arthur replied.

"Of course. I love you." Violet said. "What about the expedition?"

"They didn't make it." Arthur admitted reluctantly. "The Garuda took them."

"Took them how?" Billie asked confused.

Before Arthur had a chance to answer, an aftershock caused the earth to tremble. Suddenly a large column of fire erupted from the temple and a moment later, about a dozen of Garuda took flight and circled the remains of their temple. When they noticed Billie and the others, they screamed furiously and dove down to attack.

xxx


	8. Chapter 8

Chosen Chapter 10: Raiders of the Lost Valley

Part 8

Xxx

As they were running for their lives, Billie looked over her shoulder to the small army of winged demons behind them. The Garuda were furious at the destruction of their temple and seemed terminated to take it out on them. Billie ducked to avoid a stream of fire and yelled at the others to hurry. Next to her, another tree caught fire.

"The portal." Violet suddenly called out.

Billie looked ahead and saw they were nearing the edge of the valley. The stone archway stood in front of them. Suddenly, the Garuda flew ahead and landed on the rocks in front of it. There were six of them left. Billie and the others stopped and took cover behind some trees.

"They got us trapped." Billie said.

"Of course, they know the portal is the only way out." Arthur said.

"At least we're not the only ones." Violet remarked.

Violet pointed to some more trees on the other side of the portal and Billie saw Bryant lurking behind them. He held a wooden staff in his hand. So that was what he was after all along.

"What is he holding?" Violet asked.

"Something dangerous." Arthur said. "The temple started to collapse the moment he took it. Whoever placed it there, didn't want it to be found. We can't let him leave with it."

"Well, for the moment, none of us are going anywhere." Billie replied as she looked at the Garuda.

"Arthur, can't you cast an illusion to help us get past them?"

"They're immune." Arthur replied. "Which is probably why they were chosen to guard this place in the first place."

"Chose by who?" Violet asked.

"Wizards." Arthur replied. "This entire valley is nothing more than a vault for their artifacts. And that staff is perhaps the most important piece."

"Enough with the history lesson, we need a plan." Billie said. "Vi, think you can freeze them long enough for us to get through?"

"I don't know." Violet replied. "My powers are pretty exhausted, I doubt they will stay frozen for long."

"Then we have to fight." Billie said determined.

"I guess we don't have a choice." Arthur said.

"What do you mean?" Violet asked.

"The Garuda have the power to transform others beings into their kind." Arthur explained. "That is what happened to the expedition."

"Can we save them?" Billie asked.

"No, the conversion is permanent." Arthur said. "They literally burned their humanity away."

"That sounds painful." Billie remarked. "So you're sure they are just demons now?"

"Yes." Arthur admitted.

"Then the choice is easy." Billie said as she pressed some potions in his hands. "I'm not dying in some stupid magical valley. I have a house to buy."

Violet and Arthur nodded and they ran forward. Violet froze the demons before they had a chance to attack. Arthur and Violet threw potions and vanquished two of them. At the same time, Billie noticed Bryant running toward the archway. She flung her arm and threw him off his feet. The staff rolled over the ground.

"Get the staff!" Billie yelled at Arthur as she vanquished a third demon.

As Arthur began running toward the staff, the Garuda unfroze and took flight. One noticed the staff and dove at it, though it was hit by a flying large rock. Just as Arthur reached for the staff, the earth trembled and a large chasm opened, preventing him from reaching it.

Bryant picked up the staff with a smirk as the entire valley seemed to tremble. The chasm widened and the Garuda that was hit disappeared into the deep. Arthur lost his balance and nearly fell, though Violet grabbed his arm in time. The remaining Garuda threw fire at them, which Billie quickly deflected with her power. She sent the flames at Bryant, though he disappeared in blue spirals and reappears in front of the archway.

"Better luck next time." Bryant remarked as the portal opened.

Bryant jumped through and disappeared. Before Billie could react, another Garuda lifted her up in the air. She quickly reached for her athame and stabbed it. As the demon exploded, she fell down and rolled over the ground. Meanwhile, the last Garuda destroyed the potions Violet and Arthur threw at it. It knocked Violet out of the way and grabbed Arthur. Its hand became surrounded in fire.

"No!" Violet screamed and she froze the demon.

Arthur managed to free himself and pushed the Garuda into the chasm. It pummeled into the deep with a scream. As Violet hugged Arthur in relief, Billie noticed the ground had become unstable due to Bryant's power.

"There will be time for that later." Billie remarked. "Come on, before this entire place crumbles."

They began to run for the archway as the earth fell apart under their feet. Another chasm opened in front of the archway and they barely managed to jump across. Billie looked around and saw the once beautiful valley was in chaos. Fire was destroying the forest and the temple was in ruins.

"So much history lost." Arthur noted sadly.

"I'm sorry." Violet replied.

"Well, our lives are more important." Billie remarked as she touched the archway, causing the portal to open. The moment it did, a powerful force pulled them through the valley was left behind.

Xxx

After leaving the valley and using a teleportation potion to get back to Magic School, Violet and the others met up with Duncan and Leo in the grand hall. They told them about what had happened in the valley and about the expedition.

"So you're not the only wizard out there." Duncan said.

"I always knew I wasn't the only one." Arthur replied. "I just never met one before. And now he has potentially very dangerous weapon."

"Unfortunately, we have no way to determine what this staff is capable of." Leo noted. "Perhaps Professor Whitney's research can help us."

"I just wish we could have saved him." Arthur admitted.

"You did what you could. Nobody knew what was hidden in that valley. " Leo said as he placed a supportive hand on his shoulder. "Now I will need to inform people about what happened. The professor and the others will surely be missed."

"We'll give you some privacy." Billie said as she nudged Duncan.

"Right." Duncan added.

As Leo and the others walked away, Arthur sighed and sat down. Violet sat down next to him and took his hand. "Are you okay?" She asked concerned.

"I will be." Arthur said. "I just wish I could have done more."

"Don't blame yourself." Violet replied.

"I don't, not really." Arthur said. "It just feels weird, I'm the only one that got out. The expedition is gone. I guess I'm just lucky, because I have an amazing girlfriend who came to my rescue."

"Of course." Violet said smiling. "Did you really think I wouldn't come look for you?"

"I knew. That's part of the reason why I love you." Arthur replied. "You're caring, and braver than you realize. And of course very cute."

Violet smiled and kissed him. Although he kissed her back, she could tell he was still distracted. "So what are you going to do now?"

"Well, the professor wanted his research published." Arthur replied. "With his work and my own notes, I have enough to do so. I think I owe him that, it was his dying wish."

"What about Bryant?" Violet asked.

"I have a feeling we'll be seeing him again." Arthur replied. "And whoever he is working for."

At that moment, Billie and Duncan came walking back. "Hey." Billie said. "We were thinking about getting out of here, get something to eat."

"I'm not really in the mood. Besides, I'd rather get some sleep." Arthur replied.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Violet asked.

"No, I'll be fine." Arthur said. "I'll call you tomorrow."

Arthur gave her a kiss and got up. Violet understood he needed some time alone to deal with everything that had happened, so she let him go. She figured he probably had more questions than answers now. However, she had faith he was smart enough to figure it out. Besides, she would be there to support him, because she realized more than ever that she loved him. One way or another, the mystery of the Wizards would be solved.

"So where are we going?" Duncan asked. "Hopefully somewhere close to campus. Today has been exhausting. I haven't even told you what happened with the twins..."

"Wait!" Billie called out as she interrupted him. "I have something to tell you first."

"I don't think now is the time, Billie." Violet replied.

"Are you kidding, now is the perfect time." Billie said.

"Am I missing something?" Duncan asked confused.

"I found a house." Billie said excited. "And it's absolutely perfect. I mean, we're all tired of living in the dorms, right? So we want you to move in with us."

"Are you serious?" Duncan asked with frown. "You're bringing this up now?"

"Why not? We could use some good news for a change." Billie said. "Come on, imagine how much fun it will be."

"I'll think about." Duncan replied. "It has been a long day and it feels like my head is about to explode."

"Good enough." Billie said. "And just so you know, I promise I will never attempt to cook."

"You know, strangely, that does make me feel better." Duncan replied with a smile.

As Billie and Duncan continued to talk about the house, Violet could not help but think about Arthur. Although he had some answers now, nothing had worked out the way he had hoped. He had learned more about the Wizard race, but could he find peace with what he had learned? And how did this mysterious Bryant fit into the picture?

xxx

Through swirling blue spirals, Bryant Hughes appeared on the front porch of the mansion owned by his boss. With the ancient staff in his hand, he headed inside. Getting it had not been easy, though he had won the race in the end. The witches still had no idea what they were dealing with. He wondered if they had even managed to escape. He headed to the office and knocked before going in. His boss stood by the window.

"I got it." Bryant said proudly.

"I know." The older man said as he turned around. "I could sense its power the moment you left the valley."

Bryant handed over the staff and the other man studied it with amazement. "Finally." He said. "After all this time, the Staff of Magnus. You have made me very proud, son."

"Thank you, father." Bryant replied.

"I assume you had no trouble?" His father replied.

"Not really." Bryant replied. "Thankfully, I had the witches to serve as a distraction. I doubt they even made it out alive."

"You underestimate them." His father replied. "They made it out, as did our young Wizard friend. You should count yourself lucky, as I was clear I wanted him alive."

"I never hurt him." Bryant replied. "But with the Garuda there…"

"Does he know anything?" His father interrupted him.

"No, he has no idea what is going on." Bryant replied. "But why does it matter? All that matters is the staff, right?"

"The staff is vital to our plans, yes." His father replied. "And I think it is time to test its power."

His father placed a hand on Bryant's shoulder and they both disappeared through swirling blue spirals. When they reappeared, Bryant was shocked to see they were standing on a platform floating in endless darkness. Suddenly, sparking lights appeared and they were surrounded by men in white suits. Four giant floating heads appeared. Bryant knew who they were, the Tribunal.

"You have some nerve showing your face here, Ambrosius." One of the heads said.

"Please, I always preferred Ambrose, much shorter." Bryant's father replied. "But in this century, I'm better known as Alaric Brewman."

"What do you want?" Another head asked.

"It is quite simple." Ambrose said. "I finally have what I need to set my plans in motion. Which means I cannot have anything interfering with that. Not even you."

"You dare threaten us?" One of the heads said angrily. "You cannot stand against us. We vital to preserving the secret of magic, to the Grand Design."

"You overestimate yourselves." Ambrose replied. "You're arrogant fools. Besides, I'm tired of the Grand Design. I think it's time for a change."

"Stop him." One of the heads yelled at the Cleaners.

The Cleaners nodded and stepped forward. Ambrose smirked and tightened his grip on the staff, causing the stone inside to glow. He pushed Bryant back and swung the staff around. A powerful wave of force was released and the Cleaners were destroyed. Their molecules dispersed and they dissolved into oblivion.

"No!" One of the heads called out.

"Oh yes." Ambrose replied with a manic smile. "Your time is up."

Ambrose raised the staff and brought it down on the glowing circle in the middle of the platform. The circle shattered and bolts of electricity shot out at the four heads. They all screamed as they were electrocuted and ignited in flames. When they faded away, Ambrose looked at the staff.

"Its augmenting powers are truly amazing." Ambrose said contentedly. "And the lightning is a nice touch."

"What is our next move, father?" Bryant asked.

"Well, my son." Ambrose replied as he turned to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I think it's time we start gathering your siblings. It's time for the Wizards to reclaim what was taken from us. This world was once ours, and soon it will be again."

Xxx

The End


End file.
